Carolyn Regan, chief executive of the Legal Services Commission said today that it was “no coincidence” that the growth in people helped this year fell within the same period in which fixed fees had been introduced “for much of the work.”

She added: “The current legal aid reforms are specifically about building on this to maximise access to legal aid for the future and continue increasing the numbers of people helped.”

Regan said the Commission needed to work harder to reach the estimated one in ten people with legal problems who do not seek advice. “We must continue to innovate and increase the ease of access to services,” she said.